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The diet of the Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans at Subantarctic Marion Island

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Summary

The diet of the Wandering Albatross at Subantarctic Marion Island was studied by inducing recently fed chicks to regurgitate and by stomach flushing adults about to feed chicks. Liquid comprised 70.2% of stomach content mass recovered from chicks. Solid material comprised cephalopods (58.6% by mass), fish (36.5%) and crustacean, cetacean and seabird material as minor items. Twenty-three taxa of cephalopods were identified, the onychcteuthid squid Kondakovia longimana being the most important. Estimated average mass of squid was 694 g with a maximum of over 8 kg. Diet of the Wandering Albatross at Marion Island was broadly similar to that at other studied localities. The high proportion of cephalopods known to float after death in the diet, and the deep-water habits of the few fish identified, suggest that scavenging plays an important role in foraging behaviour.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa

    J. Cooper & S. R. Henley

  2. Port Elizabeth Museum, P.O. Box 13147, 6013, Humewood, South Africa

    N. T. W. Klages

Authors
  1. J. Cooper
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  2. S. R. Henley
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  3. N. T. W. Klages
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Cooper, J., Henley, S.R. & Klages, N.T.W. The diet of the Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans at Subantarctic Marion Island. Polar Biol 12, 477–484 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238186

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238186

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